>> from chicago, illinois, this is "democracy now!" >> the more vicious, the more deadly, even more than the soul destroying drugs is the menace of marijuana. >> today, the state of washington with its 75 years of the national marijuana prohibition and said, it is time for a new approach. >> from reefer madness to sensible reform. colorado and washington become the first two states to approve regulating, taxing, and controlling marijuana similar to alcohol. will there be a showdown with the federal government which still considers the plant a dangerous drug? as the most expensive election

in u.s. history comes to a close, we will talk about the issue facing more and more americans that rarely got a mention in the presidential campaign -- poverty. >> the problem is, obama himself no better than romney is still very much part of a system that has failed poor and working people. capitalism is not working for poor and working people in america. we have to bear witness to that. >> we will speak what dr. cornel west and pbs host tavis smiley. together they have written, "the rich and the rest of us: a poverty manifesto." all of that and more coming up. this is "democracy now!," democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. we're on the road in chicago. the pentagon has confirmed that iran fired at a pilotless u.s. drone last week, but missed its

target. pentagon spokesperson george little insisted the incident occurred in international, not iranian, airspace, and vowed that u.s. surveillance flights will continue. >> the incident occurred over international waters approximately 16 nautical miles off iranian coast line. the united states has communicated to the iranians we will continue to conduct surveillance flights over international waters over the arabian gulf and our commitment to the security of the region. we have a wide range of options and diplomatic to military to protect our military assets and forces in the region and will do so when necessary. >> the news comes as the obama administration announced a new round of sanctions against iran, its first foreign policy initiative since tuesday's election. the 2012 election has officially come to a close after a final

vote count confirmed president obama won the state of florida. there romney's campaign conceded florida on thursday with obama ahead by over 58,000 votes. obama's final electoral college tally was 332 votes to romney's 206. video has been released a president obama breaking into tears as he thanks workers and volunteers at his chicago campaign headquarters. obama made the visit the day after he won reelection. >> even before last night's results, i felt the the work i had done in running for office had come full circle because you guys -- [indiscernible] i am really proud of that. i am proud of all of you.

and what you have -- [applause] >> president obama is expected to deliver his first address since his victory speech later today with a statement on the economy. topping up in his post-election domestic agenda is the so-called fiscal cliff of $700 billion in expiring tax cuts and automatic spending reductions set to take effect at the end of the year. under the terms of last year's debt deal, obama and senate democrats must agree on a deficit reduction package with house republicans or face automatic cuts that will likely contract the economy. on thursday, a new study from the congressional budget office said obama's call for ending the bush era tax cuts for the wealthiest americans while maintaining the cuts for lower income brackets won't hinder economic growth.

republicans have insisted on preserving tax cuts for the rich under any deficit reduction package, claiming it would protect jobs. but the non-partisan cbo estimates the move would reduce job growth by as much as 200,000, far less than the 700,000 cited by house speaker john boehner. more than seven hours 61,000 homes and businesses remained without power on the east coast thursday after a powerful nor'easter knocked out electricity for tens of thousands on top of those still left in the dark by superstorm sandy. the number includes more than 20,000 residents of public housing in new york city, who in some cases also lack heat and running water. three of new york city's hospitals remain closed after losing power during the storm, and there is no current timetable for their reopening. on thursday, new york governor andrew cuomo said economic damage from the storm could reach $50 billion. >> the first cost estimate that

i have seen has suggested the storm will cost the region $50 billion in damage and economic loss. the state of new york, about $33 billion in damage and economic loss. that is a staggering number. >> in the face of an ongoing fuel shortage, new york city mayor michael bloomberg has unveiled a new rationing system for the purchase of gas. on thursday, he said motorists will only be of a purchase gas on alternating days depending on whether their license plate ends in odd or even number. >> only 25% of our gas stations we estimate are open. drivers are still facing long lines, frustrations growing. it now appears there will be shortages for possibly another couple of weeks. the best way we thing to cut down on the lines and help customers, to help that stations

and reduce the potential for disorder is to alternate the days that drivers can purchase gas. >> arizona shooter jared loughner has been sentenced to life in prison for the rampage in tucson last year that killed six people and wounded 13 others, including former democratic congressmember gabrielle giffords. under a plea deal reached earlier this year, loughner will spend the rest of his life in prison with no chance for parole. john leonardo, the u.s. attorney for arizona, said prosecutors decided not to seek couple punishment because of his mental-health -- capital punishment because of his mental health. >> for those family members of those who were killed and those who survived, we hope to finalize a reduction of this case will be a positive step toward their healing process -- physically, emotionally, psychologically. it was with them in mind that w entered into this plea agreement with the defendant. we also believe the sentence is

appropriate in light of jared loughner's severe mental illness. it seems likely that mr. loughner -- had he not suffered from mental illness, he would not have committed these horrific crimes. at thursday's court hearing, loughner it is a number of his victims, including ron barber. >> and then i turned to mr. loughner and said, "i hold you publish i hold no hatred for you, but i am very, very angry and sick at heart about what you did and hurt you have imposed on all of us." i told him that he must live with this burden and will never see outside prison again. and i said in the end, "i hope these long years of incarceration that you face will

about what you have done and to seek forgiveness from those whose lives -- to which whose lives we have brought so much tears and sadness." >> an international news, israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu is said to be confronting a new diplomatic challenge with president obama is re-election. after publicly defying the obama administration on west bank settlements, pushing for a military attack on iran, and even appearing to back mitt romney in the presidential race, netanyahu is facing pressure from within his government to repair strained israeli-u.s. ties. hours after obama's victory, israel's deputy prime minister said -- later in the day, netanyahu staged a news conference to publicly congratulate obama on his win.

>> i want to congratulate president obama's re-election. i think the united states of america demonstrated what it is the greatest democracy on earth. the security relationship between the u.s. and israel is rock-solid. i look forward to working with president obama to further strengthen this relationship and advance our goals of peace and security. >> israeli prime minister netanyahu followed up his comments with a personal telephone call to obama on thursday. one of the first tests of obama's post-election middle east form policy will come this month as the palestinian authority seeks non member status at the united nations, which the u.s. forcefully opposed last year. the move would grant palestinians recognition at bodies like the international criminal court, where they could potentially bring cases against israel. if approved, the move could trigger a u.s. law that would force the the funding of the pa

and even the entire united nations. on thursday, the palestinian authority went ahead with its effort, circulating a draft resolution for recognition to you and members. in news from the occupied territories, palestinian boy was killed thursday in an israeli attack on the gaza strip. the boy was shot as israeli troops exchanged fire with palestinian militants near the israel-gaza border. the white house has announced president obama will visit burma later this month as part of the administration's efforts to unfreeze ties with the ruling melissa -- military junta. obama's visit will mark the first to burma by a sitting u.s. president. activists in arizona are challenging the re-election of the controversial sheriff joe like karo -- joe arpaio, citing a large amount of uncounted ballots. he has faced widespread accusations of discrimination and civil rights abuses against latinos as well as financial misconduct. election officials in maricopa

county have acknowledged some 415,000 early and provisional ballots remain uncounted, a total that could wipe out our pile's election victory of the 88,000 votes. activists have been holding vigils outside the maricopa county recorder's office, demanding that the votes be counted and alleging election date irregularities. a man claiming to be a business owner and las vegas says publicly he has fired 22 of his more than 140 mostly hispanic employees because of president obama's re-election. speaking anonymously on the radio,he man blamed the expected cost of president obama's healthcare law. >> i explained to them a month ago if obama gets an office, the regulations for obamacare will hurt our business and i'm going to have to make provisions to make sure i have enough money to cover the payroll taxes, the additional health-care i'm going to have to do, and i explained

to them and says -- you do what you needed to in your heart, but i a morning these are things i will have to do as a business owner. most of my employees are hispanic i will not go into what kind of company i have, but i have mostly hispanic employees. unfortunately, we know what happened. i cannot wait around anymore. i had to lay off 22 people today to make sure my business will thrive and i will be around for come. >> a suspect has been arrested in michigan for a spate of shooting attacks that terrorized residents of the town of wixom. raulie wayne casteel is accused of carrying out 24 random shootings at motorists driving along interstate 96 corridor. all the one person was wounded in the attacks over the course of three weeks. a federal appeals court has dismissed a lawsuit against former u.s. secretary of state -- of the fence, donald rumsfeld, for his role in

crafting policies that led to torture in iraq. in an 8 to 3 decision, the u.s. seventh circuit court of appeals ruled two american citizens allegedly tortured at u.s. military base in iraq have no right to sue donald rumsfeld and other u.s. officials. the plaintiffs, donald vance and nathan ertel, were reportedly arrested and tortured after collaborating with the fbi in an investigation of their employer in iraq, the private sector company shield group security. the men were eventually released and never charged with a crime. wednesday's decision overturns two the previous court rulings allowing the case to proceed. the obama administration followed the bush a ministration in seeking the lawsuit's dismissal. and those are some of the headlines. this is "democracy now!," democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. >> it must be stopped. you must stand united on this

incident out frightful assassin of our youth. you can do it by bringing about compulsory education on the subject of narcotics in general. marijuana, in particular. >> more than seven years after the film "refer badness close coast of hysteria over marijuana usage, colorado and washington have become the first states to legal marijuana for recreational use print in a historic move, 52% of voters in colorado supported amendment 64, which will amend the state constitution to allow those 21 and older to purchase up to 1 ounce of marijuana at specially regulated stores. adults would be permitted to grow up to six marijuana plants in their homes. meanwhile in washington state, initiative 502 passed by a 10- point margin. now marijuana reform advocates are preparing for a showdown with the federal government,

which still considers the plant a dangerous drug. on wednesday, marijuana reform activists in colorado and washington said they hoped to provide a model for the rest of the country. >> colorado rejected the failed policy of marijuana prohibition and made a positive step forward towards regulating this product, taking up the streets, putting it behind the counter and taxing it. we feel that colorado can be a model for the nation in how to sensibly regulate marijuana policy. >> today, the state of washington looked at 75 years of the national marijuana prohibition and said -- it is time for a new approach. >> meanwhile in chicago, the city council recently passed an ordinance that allows ticketing for low-level marijuana possession. but our next guest reports that hasn't stopped police from arresting people in certain neighborhoods. for more we're joined by mick

dumke, reporter for chicago's alternative newspaper, "the chicago reader," which covers political issues, including drug policy. we welcome you to "democracy now!" let's talk about the significance of colorado and washington state. you have been covering these issues for some time. >> the main issue is people appear to want a change in drug policies, particularly as they apply to marijuana. if the federal government is sort of -- they have been standing pat. states and municipalities across the country have been making their own moves. >> during our election night coverage, i spoke with brian to send a, executive director of sensible colorado, and asked him how advocates there succeeded in becoming one of the first two u.s. states to approve regulating, taxing, and controlling marijuana similar to of all. this was his response. >> we just reached out to supporters. @we ran local ballot initiatives to build support. we got money from small and

large binders. i think we tap into a vein of consciousness of passion or people realize that marijuana prohibition has been a colossal failure. just like alcohol prohibition britt coloradoan elite if you take it off the street and to the behind the counter, it will be harder for kids to get and produces tax revenue for the state. we have taken a positive step forward today. >> after colorado legalization merit -- measure passed, colorado's governor said -- governor hickenlooper has also said he has called attorney general eric colder to reconcile his state's and then met with federal law. >> we have a call into eric holder so in the next 24 hours,

ink right after lunch tomorrow, i am scheduled to look at that -- i am not a lawyer, so my sense on this is it is unlikely the federal government is going to allow states one by one to unilaterally legalize marijuana, but i have not heard that. >> paul armentano, the deputy director of the national organization for the reform of marijuana laws says there is a much the feds can do right now. he wrote in the daily caller on wednesday --

those are the words of the deputy director of normal. mick dumke, your response? how this is going to play out? >> i think everyone is waiting to see. we have seen the last few years with states that have passed medical marijuana laws that the federal program still has self -- felt compelled to move in and shut down dispensaries and force people they felt were violating u.s. tax laws and so forth. people are waiting to see what happens with this next phase of the reform process. >> i want to turn to one of the ads that ran in colorado urging voters not to legalize marijuana -- to vote against amendment 64. >> hey, guys, i heard a few you mention marijuana is less harmful to our bodies and alcohol. i really care about you guys, so i thought he should not few things about pot. recent study proves over time, marijuana use causes huge drops in iq, especially if you start as a teenager.

marijuana can cause permanent changes in brain structure and functioning. i guess being silly and stupid while high is not temporary. as you probably know, marijuana affects alertness, concentration, and reaction time. did you know it is the most commonly identifiecit drug in a little crack since? constant use has been shown to sho-- >> i want to play, from the president of the colorado education association to explain why her group opposes legalization of marijuana use. >> as an educator and a classroom teacher, i saw students come into my classroom he had been using marijuana and i could see over the course of the semester were over the year their motivation decreased dramatically. i could see the real effects of

depression set and print it had a lasting impact on the success in school, in my class, and drop their four years of school. it is for this reason and others that our organization has endorsed the no on 64 campaign but we remain incredibly concerned about the impact putting additional access to marijuana would have on our students and schools. dumke? those opposing the legislation? >> i have not heard anyone say it is a great idea for teenagers or children to be using marijuana or any other drugs, for that matter. that is not really the issue on the table here. first of all, from what i understand from high school students who want to get marijuana can get it now in places where it is illegal. that is a whole different issue.

education campaign probably is necessary to continue to tell people what is going on. we're talking about consenting adults, whether they should have the freedom to use something that a lot of people do feel is less harmful than alcohol. i really do think once we start talking about access to children and stuff like that, you know, it really is drifting from what the issue is here on the table with these ballot initiatives. >> when you look at president obam the attorney general eric holder, they both expressed their admiration for "the wire" on hbo. the significance of that and what it represents? >> both of these people opposite are very bright guys. they understand what the war on drugs has done to communities, especially in urban america, but not exclusively.

look, there is political realities out here with everything that has been on, the attorney general, the president and the last four years, they just have not felt this was an issue they can take on politically. maybe state-by-state, city by city, with voters saying, even if the federal government is sticking to its line, we want something different. there's a hope out there this message will get through to the federal government and they will start doing things differently. >> what is happening here in chicago? what's the city of chicago passed an ordinance that decriminalizes low-level possession of marijuana. it gave police officers the option of issuing a ticket, a notice of violation instead of taking people back to the station and booking them for a full arrest. the problem is, it is an option. i look at the data and it turns out since this law went into effect, police are still making

arrests at 810 to one right over tickets. so most of the people getting caught with low level possession are still getting arrested if they're getting anything at all. but i mean by that, a lot of police officers telling me the ticketing process is just a pain in the but. in some cases, they're deciding just to let people go, but in other cases there saying, i'm going to go ahead and take this person to the station and address them. it seems to break down along racial lines. almost eight of 10 people arrested are african-american. we will know that is not hard usage rates break down. essentially, we have we call grass gap continuing in this law that gives officers the option of not making an arrest is it really being used. it does not appear to be a solution to the fundamental problems. >> do you see this happening around the country? >> there is like 90 cities just in illinois alone that have defied state law, defied federal

law and issued their own the oil-excuse me, passed their own laws and ordinances that give police officers the right to issue tickets. it is clogging the courts. it is not only an issue of justice but an issue of resources. we found the city of chicago's policy of arresting people for marijuana possession is costing local taxpayers $78 million a year conservatively. that is just here. you start doing the math, it just adds up to an astronomical use of resources. i think researchers found like $300 million over the last 20 years or 30 years in washington state to process the arrests there. we're talking hundreds of millions of dollars around the country that to be used on so many other things, including drug@ education. >> interestingly, it turns out that incoming mexican president enrique pena nieto tackling

marijuana in his country in response to the votes here, the ap reports the head of his transition team told radio formula that the mexican administration taking power in three weeks remains opposed to drug legalization, the said the votes in the two states complicate mexico's commitment to quashing the growing and smuggling of a plant now seen by many as legal and a part of the united states. >> if you translate the political speak, what that means is, they see an opening to potentially change policy. there's extraordinary pressure from u.s. on the mexican government to maintain the status quo. i just sat down with the top dea official in the midwest last week and he was sort of openly rooting for the next -- mexican administration to continue working with the u.s. in the way it has. i really do think these two

states passing this law, i think our people in mexico who are pretty happy about that. there was a study that just came out from a respected non- partisan organization in mexico that found just these states passing a law could cut the profits of cartels on marijuana profits, that is, by 30%. we're talking about a huge issue. look, the status quo gives money to people working in the black market. that is a key issue that is fueling the violence along the border of mexico. i really find hard to believe, especially for the mexican or and president,an presen i find it hard that he does not welcome the news. >> mick dumke, thank you very much for being with us, reporter for chicago's alternative newspaper "the chicago reader." he covers political issues including drug policy.

we're on the road in chicago. when we come back, we will joined here in our studios by dr. cornel west and pbs host tavis smiley. stay with us. ♪ [music break]

>> this is "democracy now!," democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. we are on the road in chicago. i will be in san francisco on saturday that noon. and sunday with noam chomsky. right now we're in chicago. as the most expensive presidential election in u.s. history as come to an end, we turn to an issue that impacts more and more people in this country, but was rarely mentioned during the campaign -- poverty. the price tag for combined spending by federal candidates -- along with their parties and outside groups like super pacs -- totaled more than $6 billion. this is especially striking at a time when one in six americans is poor, with over 16 million children living in poverty. poverty rates for blacks and latinos are twice as high as the rates for whites. there is greater poverty among

women than men, and the rate of women living in extreme poverty has reached record highs. a study released by fair revealed poverty is an issue that has been nearly invisible in u.s. media coverage of the 2012 presidential race. it found just 17 of the 10,489 campaign stories studied -- 0.2% -- addressed poverty in any substantive way. critics have pointed out president obama was viewed as the anti-poverty candidate in 2008, but his re-election bid four years later has barely mentioned the poor even other numbers have gone up. for more we're joined by two guests who have worked diligently to get poverty back on the national agenda. dr. cornel west is with us, professor of philosophy and christian practice at union theological seminary in new york, a professor emeritus at princeton university. he is a new york times bestselling author of numerous

books and co-host of the radio show smiley & tavis. together they have written, "the rich and the rest of us: a poverty manifesto." tavis smiley is a tv, radio broadcaster, philanthropist and best-selling author. he hosts a tv show and two radio shows. we welcome you both back to "democracy now!" we are right here in the president's city. he just flew out on wednesday after his reelection. dr. cornel west, the figures. who is ahead? q isn't? >> one, i think it is morally obscene and spares shalit profane to spend $6 billion --

spiritually profane to spend $6 billion on an election. the 1% and doing well. no talk about drones or bombs on innocent people. we end up with such a narrow truncated political discourse as the major problems, ecological tcatastrophe, climate change, global warming. i am glad there was not a right- wing takeover, but we end up with the republican -- rockefeller republican in black face with barack obama. so that our struggle with party intensifies. >> that is a pretty rough assessment of president obama. >> well, that is what we have. richard nixon is to the left of him on health care. richard nixon is to the left of him on guaranteed income. and the same policies with foreign-policy [indiscernible]

i was glad to see romney did not win. we pushed back the right-wing takeover bid with a right wing talks. where's the serious talk about investment in jobs? our we have yet to take off the gloves. we have been fighting intensely. >> president obama said to harry belafonte, according to him, why don't you and cornel west , some slack customer care responded, what makes you think we are not? i want ask you about bill o'reilly, tavis smiley. your watchingif your walks fox, but this is what he had to say about the outcome. >> what is your sense of the evening? you look at the exit polls -- to

line >> if mitt romney loses in president isess did thei reelected. >> president of his approval rating was so low, and this is hypothetical because we don't know who is even winning never mind who won, but how do think it got this tight? >> because it is a changing country it is not a traditional america anymore. there are 50% of the voting public who want stuff. they want things. and who is going to give them things? president obama. he knows it and he ran on it. and whereby 20 years ago, president obama would be rowley defeated by an establishment candidate like mitt romney. the white establishment is now the minority. and the voters, many of them, feel the economic system is

stacked against them and they want stuff. you'll see a tremendous hispanic vote for president obama. overwhelming black vote for president obama. and women will probably break president obama's way. people feel they are entitled to things, and which candidate between the two is going to give them things? >> that was bill o'reilly, tavis smiley. >> you asked a moment ago if i was watching fox on election night the answer was no and this is precisely why. it is also why i don't watch a lot of msnbc, either. i do not like being spun to the right or the left. what i prefer is to get at some truth, and that is why i appreciate "democracy now!" and other programs that try to get the hard truth that americans don't want to deal with. i don't know where to start constructing what i just heard. this is precisely why the

republicans lost. if they think this is the narrative that will help them win in the future, they need to put down the crack pipe. they're stuck on stupid. you have discussed this before, nothing new, the most multicultural, multiracial, multiethnic america ever, that h dog, thatunt. if they cannot figure out a way to expand their base, the gop is going down. i don't like the two-party system, surely do not want to live in a one-party state. i appreciate competition. i wish there were more. if this is the narrative they think they consulted the american people in the future and help them win elections, i don't know what they're thinking. it is tragic to listen to. it is really -- it is an echo chamber to our right. this release sounds like mitt romney and the videotape that came out about the 47%. >> rush limbaugh recently

claimed that president obama and joe biden want to grow the portion of the 47% who are " rewards of this day." this is from the october 9 edition of "the rush limbaugh show." >> what ever number of the 47% are words of the state, they're happy. not all of that 47% wants to be in that group. but the people in the 47% who are content to be there, biden, obama would love to grow it the more people dependent on government the better. the more people angry, resentful of the rich, the better as far as they're concerned. >> tavis smiley? >> iif that is the kind of rhetoric they're going to continue to engage in, go for. it is not a winning strategy in this country to attack hispanics, to attack african-

americans, to attack women, to suggest we're all a part of a welfare state and all dependent on government -- at no point in either of those diatribes' did you hear the truth, which is the majority of americans on welfare are white americans. they're not black or hispanic. that truth gets lost in the major -- this was a campaign for the white house of extremes. too much money is morally profane. too much money. too much time group we have to get a point of rethinking how we do presidential politics in this country from the electoral college to the money to the debates. to much time spent on the campaign. it used to be campaigning was stopped and the governing was start. now there is no line between them. too many lies are told. these are examples of ally we heard in this campaign. the fact checkers had to work overtime on this campaign to try to get the truth to the american

people. a campaign of extremes. it is time to rethink how we do presidential politics. if this is the story line that went to ron, let them do so because they will run themselves into oblivion with this. >> the lie at the center of both of them the white liberal establishment is not a majority. the elite white liberal establishment is a minority. the white port is not part of that. the white working class is not part of that. if you want to talk about being dependent on government, $16 trillion on wall street, not one of them going to deal involveing insider trading or market manipulation. the government protect them. jamal gets caught with a crack baggie in his going to jail but mr. mcgillicuddy gets caught on wall street and he is protected by the government. neither administration, bush,

obama, has any investigations, no prosecutions at all. the folks who are really dependent, they get interest- free loans from the federal reserve. wouldn't be nice if students could get interest-free loans? rush and bill to tell the truth, the white elite is very dependent on government. they get welfare anytime they want it with no strings attached. so that is the light at the center. it is not the majority. white brothers and sisters are catching hell you're not part of the 1%. >> i want to go to the issue of the whole discussion you are engaged in, pushing president obama from the left. in september at the democratic convention, "democracy now!" hosted a debate on obama's record with glen ford, executive editor black agenda and michael eric dyson, the author and msnbc analyst and georgetown university professor. >> the reality is, the american

left will never be able to participate not simply in the pageantry of american politics and the light and airy stuff that conventions engage in, the fluff, may be true as his indicated, but the reality is, obama is as progressive a figure who has the chance of being elected in america. [indiscernible] if you ate in the game, miami heat is playing are talking about sports, the oklahoma thunder. it is not i preferred the los angeles lakers. this is the game we're talking about. if the american left cannot be involved in the actual practice of government to offer the critical insights that are available -- take 2000 when siding with ralph nader and an owl or who should of been president and would have prevented some of what we see

happening now did not occur, the left one take responsibility for the fact the extraordinary intelligence of glen ford and many leftists notwithstanding, the reality is, his the most progressive president since fdr. >> that is opera, for professor, commentator michael eric dyson. >> i have known him for a long time. i love him with all of my heart. it is so disappointing to hear michael, professor dyson, advance that kind of argument. he comes out of a black prophetic tradition that is rooted in speaking truth to power, and i might add, to the powerless. but to somehow try to suggest in any way this president has been progressive or is the best example of progressivism which could put forth in this country is just inaccurate. this is precisely why dr. west

and i and others are on the truth. we believe the president has to be pushed. i have been across the nation and heard the great presidents are not born, they are made. they have to be pushed into their greatness. abraham lincoln, i just saw the movie coming out this weekend, i think, "the linkedin project." if he'sisn't lincoln not being pushed. lbj is not lbj if martin luther king is not pushing him rid what i hear and professor dyson's critique is there some excuse to be made or that we have to settle for this as the best example of progressivism the wicked fine print and do not believe unsettling. we believe if he is not pushed, he is one of the transactional president and not a transformational president. we believe the time is now for

action and no longer accommodation. that does not happen unless you are pushed. excuse making and selling that this is the best we can do -- can you imagine what it would be if women had settled? this is the best we could do. if black folk in segregation said, this is the best we can do? that is not the spirit of america, much less coming out of the black prophetic groups. >> he is being very kind. i love brother mike tyson, too, but we're living in a society where everybody is up for sale. everything is up for sale. he and brother sharpton, and others, they have sold their soul for obama pottage. we invite them back to the group after obama leaves. at the moment they what is that access and want to tell those lies. they want to turn their back on

poor and working people. >> michael eric dyson is not sing obama is progressive, but he is the most progressive of the president's we have had. >> when fdr says, "bernton the economic world is on there my soul's i'm fighting on behalf of poor people"? did lbj declare a war on poverty that generated the kind of legislation against american jim and jim crow was struck, but it is not dy not dyson said that, but as a whole. to what the arguments are. dyson has been our partner and he can be our partner again, but we cannot live with these lies. >> to be t most progressive

means you're taking serious risks. i do not see the example of that. even the health-care debate, the president watered down the promised on the campaign trail before he got serious. the promise of an open debate on c-span never really quite materialize. i'm not suggesting i'm unhappy with the fact we got something done on health care, but it is nowhere near what it was supposed to be. if you're going to levels among the most progressive, you have to show where the risk was taken. fdr took risk. lbj took risks. lbj said, "i know voting this legislation will lose my party for 20 years scrim he turned out to be right, but it was the right thing to do. .hat's what we're saying and the presidents ford motion in the second term to establish a legacy, and i don't think the president ought to be about a legacy but advancing the best for the american people, but

talking about his legacy, i want to see what risky is going to take. is he going to put himself on the line for poor people? is he going that an honest conversation about drones? is he ever going to say the phrase prison industrial complex? reagan would not say aids. bush would not say climate change. >> is a progressive design the defense authorization act in which you can detain americans without no judicial process? to assassinate americans based on executive power question that is authoritarian, autocratic ic. drones are war crimes. we have to call it what it is. >> that is what this is about. >> that is our tradition. if one does not want to be part of that tradition and the inside

the white house, then stay in the white house and have a good time and friedan's the dow lie. don't try to tell us that lies are the truth. >> we will come back to this conversation with our guests are tavis smiley and dr. cornel west. ♪ [mueak]

>> this is "democracy now!," democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. you like the music, dr. cornel west. >> on thelove train. >> dr. cornel west is with us and tavis smiley. they have a radio show called "smiley & west" every week. you were just having a debate on

the issue of third-party candidates and what we needed this country. do you think movements are shaping up? and what do you think the movements that brought president obama into office the first time, what do you think they are doing now after the second time? >> when i draw the distinction between campaigns and movements, movements are highly sophisticated forms of bringin power and pressure to bear on the status quo. campaigns are attempts to mobilize in order to support candidates inside of a system. they played a role and so forth, but there was not a social movement we have not really had a movement since the gay brothers and sisters tried to integrate black freedom movement, the civil-rights movement read those are very rare. usually the leaders are or deleted.essed

right now the left, we are feeble the occupy movement was a tremendous expression of voices, but it was not a movement that was crystallizing in any way. we are bouncing back. democratic awakening is taking place thanks to "democracy now!" forth.is' show and so >> i talked about your weekly radio show, which was just canceled here on wbez in chicago, that it is being picked up by other networks. can you talk about this and the controversy that has been written up in the public radio and television newspaper and other places? >> i'm in my 20th year in the broadcast business and thus has been in pbs, pri, and that is by choice. i could be in a commercial space and i chose to and i have done it before. >> i have done a commercial thing.

it allows us to get a different kind of truth and i don't have to respond all the pressures from corporate media when your plane that particular game. i have respect for my friends to do it, but it is not for me at this point my life. this has been an uphill battle for me. it is tragic to consider it my age, and the first person of color in the history npr to have his own daily show, and that started in 2002. in 2004, i become the first person of color in the history of pbs to have his own show every night on pbs. that is how late it became public tv and public radio have been in terms of giving people of color a space to operate@ inside of. so when a station wbez in chicago starts making excuses for why they dropped our show when we know it is about the politics. it is the president's home town and they did not one is on the air in the last six weeks of the campaign talking about holding

the president accountable and pushing on why he is not talking about poverty or drones. the decision was made in his home town without our consultation our knowledge to simply pull the plug on our radio show without any forewarning. when that happened, the citizenry here in chicago who supports wbez listens to our show went crazy. >> what was your replacement? a repeat of "car talk." it was very popular for years, but it is not even the production anymore. that got a lot of conversation going in the city. this is not about our show being canceled. this is about the democratization of public media, about the lack of diversity of public media. something is wrong when a black man from chicago has a be@ chance of being president of the united states than he does in hosting a talk show in prime time on public radio in chicago. all of these six pieces continue tto be made.

i'm talking about it a logical diversity as well. for all the criticism we take and public radio, we ain't so liberl. the good news, without going on so long because i don't believe in spending too much time on once prologue, within 24 hours, a number of stations called and said, we would love to carry your show. part of our being in chicago alongside the last that was to talk about democratizing public media and celebrate with our listenership the fact there are two stations in chicago that are tearing us. we lost one and picked up to. everytime i get canceled, if i could pick up to and replace one, keep cancelling me. >> he makes the point with great insight that when public

broadcasting was first initiated under johnson, it was for children and people of color. but it has become a white liberal elitists bastion as if white liberal elitists own it. our indigenous brothers and sisters, latino, black, asian don't play a fundamental role. that needs to be radically called into question white liberal elitists need to understand this is part of what that to come to terms with. >> so where do you go from here? tavis you still have your pbs show. inequality globally and here in this country is growing. >> no doubt about it. we continue using these platforms every week and every night to try to speak truth to power and to the powerless.

my tent herestart on pbs. the show is going extremely strong. i'm very blessed to be where i am with these platforms. with regard to poverty, january 17 in washington, we're having another national symposium just three days before the president is inaugurated, talking about poverty. we're bringing together the leaders and party, anti-poverty. we have many confirmed. we're bringing together leaders in this movement and will talk about the president -- >> we will continue this conversation with tavis smiley and dr. cornel west in a moment and posted online. [captioning made possible by democracy now!]

tavis: good evening. from los angeles, i am tavis smiley. tonight, what we can expect with a second term from obama in the tonight, what we can expect with a second term from obama in the white